Sunday, September 9, 2007

Thrift Away the Summer

Washington, D.C. July 7, 2004 -- As you walk down the crowded aisle full of mountains of boxes, piles of house-wares, and shelves of dusty romance novels from the 1970s, you suddenly catch the glimmer of something different. When you rush toward the shelf, you realize that you’ve found the jewel among the junk – a first edition copy of Harper Lee’s "To Kill a Mockingbird" or an original Ramones’ album or a vintage Chanel suit – whatever your collecting passion is. Imagine planning a road trip vacation around such a treasure hunt. "Dirt Cheap, Real Good: A Highway Guide to Thrift Stores in the Washington DC Area" isn’t just a travel guide; it introduces readers to the world of thrifting, the hunt for the perfect bargain by searching through second-hand, thrift, antique, and vintage shops. Chriss Slevin and Leah Smith, who logged over 4000 miles of thrifting as research for this book, guide the adventurous, fashion-conscious, urban hipster, vintage collector, and the downright cheap on a thrift store travel adventure around the DC area. The book covers seven Mid-Atlantic states, hitting big cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Raleigh-Durham, and includes over 300 thrift, vintage, and second hand stores.

“Thrifting is great for many reasons – you can recycle once-loved items, borrow from the world library of stuff, unearth the local cultural archeology, or play dress-up for cheap,” say Chriss and Leah. “Road trips, like thrift stores, are not about the final destination. Exploring is more than half the fun.”

"Dirt Cheap, Real Good" is a take-along travel guide to the best second-hand shops in the Mid-Atlantic region. It leads readers on six adventurous road trips, featuring the very best of local thrifting. The network of routes, which map the finest second-hand, antique, and vintage shops, all originate from Washington, DC, allowing you to create your own weekend thrift expeditions. "Dirt Cheap, Real Good" offers the low-down on the merchandise, hours, and phone numbers for each location, plus colorful descriptions of each stop, as well as photos, road maps, and quotes from local characters. As the icing on the cake, the book notes pit stops at quirky bars, cheap motels, greasy spoon diners, off-the-wall amusements and miscellaneous roadside oddities.

The seven routes featured in the book are:
Route #1: Home Base - Washington, DC
Route #2: Washington DC to Philadelphia, PA
Route #3: Washington DC to Pittsburgh, PA
Route #4: Washington DC to Charleston, WV
Route #5: Washington DC to Winston Salem, NC
Route #6: Washington, DC to Raleigh, NC
Route #7: Washington, DC to the Delaware and Maryland Coasts

Chriss Slevin is a bona fide packrat. On numerous road trips and other journeys she has accumulated a collection of highway souvenirs, clothing, and thrift oddities. She works as a Program Officer for an arts foundation in New York City. Chriss studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design and her artwork has been exhibited nationally. Chriss currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and is a dedicated thrifter, expert bargain hunter, and a staunch advocate of dirt cheap living.

For the past fourteen years, Leah Smith has developed thrifting into a form of creative expression. She has made numerous thrift shopping expeditions across the country and has collected enough artifacts to practically open her own vintage store. Leah currently lives in Boston, MA where she earned a BFA at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University in film studies. One of Leah’s plays is published in "Seven Short Plays for the Bedroom"(Mutable Press, 2002).

Dirt Cheap, Real Good:
A Highway Guide to Thrift Stores in the Washington DC Area
Chriss Slevin and Leah Smith
May 2004 ISBN 1-931868-68-9 $18.95
Paper, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, 231 pp. + b/w photos


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Thursday, September 6, 2007

new chasigard protects antique car frames from rust and deterioration

new chasigard classic chassis warmer protects your antique car frame from rust and deterioration due to moisture and condensation.it maintains a steady flow of warm air from the underneath the lendth of the car to evaporate moisture and condensation before they start to collect. strongly recommand for both heated garages or unheated garages.

chasigard runs on ordinary house current its completely portable with a built in timer control. for futher information

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Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Collecting Antique Maps - A Beginner's Guide

California wasn’t always attached to the west coast of the North American continent. It used to be an island. At least, that’s what mapmakers, mostly European, believed for about 100 years, from around 1650 to 1750. So that’s how they drew it on their maps.
The “Island of California,” as it is commonly called, is just one of the innumerable collecting niches that are possible in the increasingly popular field of antique map collecting.

Antique map collecting is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years, which is perhaps one reason why there is such an enormous amount of material, from the affordable to the prohibitively expensive, in circulation today. Two reasons for the popularity of antique map collecting are that antique maps appeal to a broad spectrum of people (for a variety of reasons) and they make very attractive framed pieces that can be enjoyed by many.

The wide range of antique maps available today means that a novice can easily enter the field, although hopefully armed with a little caution and common sense. The best place to begin is with some reading. Two excellent books for the beginning collector are Collecting Old Maps by Francis J. Manasek, and Collecting Antique Maps: An Introduction to the History of Cartography, by Jonathan Potter. Both are available by visiting VintageMaps.Com at http://www.vintagemaps.com

Armed with a little guidance from these excellent books, the new collector is likely to focus on a particular niche within the map collecting field. This is an important step, since it is by narrowing the focus that a beginner is able to most quickly gain the necessary expertise for successful, and enjoyable, collecting. However, the new collector should also take some time to look around before jumping into a chosen area. There are as many collecting “areas” as there are collectors, and a little time and effort spent exploring the field may lead to surprising and unique choices.

What can a person expect to pay for an antique map? The price range is as wide, or wider, than almost every other field of antique collecting. Perfectly acceptable antique maps can be had for as little as $50. For those with a deep pocket, rare or hard-to-find maps can easily run into five or six figures. With the relatively low cost of entry, antique map collecting is an ideal choice for many individuals, combining wide opportunity for research and learning (history, geography, art, engraving, printing, politics, to name but a few) with the opportunity to display one’s prizes in an attractive way. And for those who truly “catch the bug,” antique map collecting can become a passion that is limited only by the imagination.

Neil Street is the owner of VintageMaps.Com, which he founded in 1997. His website, an online destination for the antique map and antique print enthusiast, is at http://www.vintagemaps.com Send email to ncstreet@vintagemaps.com He can also be reached at (203)762-3474.


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Monday, September 3, 2007

20th ANNUAL MARIN INDIAN ART SHOW

November 20 2003--
Feb. 21, 10-6 & Feb. 22, 11-5
THE LARGEST EVENT OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY!
Marin Center Exhibition Hall & Embassy Suites, San Rafael, CA.
$9 adults, under 17 free

Handwoven California Indian baskets, bronze sculptures by Francisco Zuniga, Mayan plates from the 11th century, turn of the century kachina dolls, and Pacific Northwest carvings dating back several hundred years will be among the many items of antique art on display at the upcoming 20th Annual Marin Indian Art Show held Feb. 21 & 22 at the Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, California.

Considered to be a cultural arts classroom, this two-day event is sponsored by KR Martindale Show Management. Bringing together arts from both Americas, the displays represent art items of daily life among Native American cultures, including pre-Columbian and Latin American art.

The event will also highlight work from some of today's most exciting artists, sculptors, weavers, and jewelers, including Cliff Fragua, Baje Whitethorne, and Rose Blue Eyes.

In a modern day gallery setting, more than 225 knowledgeable antique dealers and contemporary Native American artists will be on hand to talk about the items they bring to the show.

Other activities include The Making of Precious Cargo: Childbirth and Cradle Baskets in California Indian Culture, a two day educational symposium (Feb. 18 & 19) with California Indian weavers, scholars, and other noted experts who will discuss the creation of the Marin Museum of the American Indian’s Precious Cargo project; a multi-media traveling cradle basket exhibit that will be on display at 16 California museums between 2004 and 2007.

Martindale, sponsor of the country’s largest Indian Art shows, has a passion for indigenous art that began when he was a young boy. A member of the Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association, he is dedicated to preserving native art through cultural shows such as this.

Tickets are $9 for adults, and free for children 17 and under. For information: 818-905-9299 or 800-656-9278. Visit www.americanindianartshow.com or ticketweb.com (866-468-3398).

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The Restoration Merry Go Round.

June 25, 2004 -- The joy of turning a great hulking oil or steam engine, from a heap of rust, into an item of gleaming iron, brass, and paint, is no doubt a great enjoyment for enthusiasts spending countless hours dismantling,inspecting, cleaning, polishing & refurbishing the old cast iron & brass monsters of yesteryear.

One of the biggest problems encountered by restorers of all things old is, a great many parts are always corroded & deteriorated, the constant search for replacement parts can be a real headache, not to mention the time lost in trying to source or locate that small, but absolutely vital part necessary to complete your restoration project.

If the part happens to be an item which was originally machined, then the old part can be measured & used to create a new part, either by the restorer, or by a professional machine shop.

If the restorer has the required workshop skills & equipment, then remaking of any special parts can be easily undertaken in the home workshop for the relatively low cost of materials only, as time, etc, is not generally a cost factor.

But, what if your "vital missing part" is made of cast iron, aluminium, brass or bronze, and can't be made by machining alone ...what then?

It would appear that the only thing to do would be to visit your local foundry jobbing shop (if you can find one), to make a pattern from the old part and recast a new component for you, which will still require machining, and finishing, ready to fit onto your restoration pride & joy.

The professional cost of this exercise (pattern, casting, machining) can be significant, to say the least, some restorers may simply accept this and not worry too much.

The budget conscious restorer may not wish to pay for professional work of this nature, which will empty ones wallet at a rapid rate.

The Alternative is:
DIY, or Do It Your self, it is possible to carry out a complete self rebuild or remake of most parts required to rebuild old engines etc,
and metal casting in the home workshop is the answer to this

The skills required to remake wooden patterns of small parts is not as difficult to learn as you might expect, like wise the basic skills needed to make sand moulds. To melt metal and pour it into sand moulds can be learnt by most people who possess the ability to absorb and learn the basic skills, as well as the skills required to fabricate the simple tools & equipment required to carry out hobby foundry work.

Metal casting in the home workshop can complete the picture when it comes to major restoration projects, your home foundry can save you a lot of time & money while undertaking restoration projects.

There will be no need to spend days scrounging around swap meets looking for that illusive or unobtainable part...you'll just make it your self.

Items the home metal casting worker will be able to create range from small handles, various knobs, wheels, bushings, bronze bearing shells, name plates, covers...the list of remake itemsis limited only by your imagination.

A free ebook download is available from our web site, which allows People to read at their own pace to see if metal casting is "for them"
or not.

There are also other free ebook downloads that contain old time formulas and hints. which could be handy when working on old items.

Or perhaps you want to know how to make your own charcoal, well that's all there to, and for FREE, so get to it and make several bag fulls for your forge, cupola or furnace.

myhomefoundry.com have been helping many people all over the world,to rediscover how easy it is to utilise hobby metal casting, to reproduce
almost any part required for restoration projects, such as old oil engines, vintage & classic cars and antiques of all kinds.

The URL of the web site is: http://www.myhomefoundry.com

Contact information:
Col Croucher
Administrator of The home foundry publications
http://www.myhomefoundry.com
fax + 61 3 57 224 654
Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia

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Monday, August 27, 2007

AntiqueGuideUSA.com launches new site for people who love to travel and shop for antiques. No longer will you have to aimlessly search for antique

AntiqueGuideUSA.com launches on-line Store Locator

AntiqueGuideUSA.com, a fully searchable on-line directory of Antique Shopping resources was launched June 18th with a database of nearly 30,000 Antique Shops, Malls, Flea Markets and Refinishing/Restoration shops.

Users can quickly get precise search results by selecting any combination of store name, address, city, state, zip code, metro area, specialty and keyword from the easy to use Store Search menu. Designed with the novice in mind, the site has a friendly, uncomplicated approach that will have even the most inexperienced user getting quality results right away.

In addition to the basic free listing, Gold level member stores feature a custom designed home page including photos of the store, mapping and driving directions, e-mail, links to a favorite web site and on-line mall or auction links. Whether planning a vacation, day trip or simply searching for online resources, this site offers a lot of well-organized information with just a few simple mouse clicks!

For more information, please visit www.AntiqueGuideUSA.com or call 816-858-3297.

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Territorial Ambitions: Mapping the Far West, 1772 - 1872

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Vicki Wiese, Visitor Services Coordinator
The Society of California Pioneers
Tel 415-957-1849 // Fax 415-957-9858
info@californiapioneers.org

The Society of California Pioneers is pleased to exhibit a selection of rare and influential maps in Territorial Ambitions: Mapping the Far West, 1772-1872. The exhibition spans the period of Western exploration in the later eighteenth century, when California was often depicted as an island, up until the establishment of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. During this time, vast, uncharted areas west of the one-hundredth meridian were gradually explored, mapped and remapped, while utopian fantasies of “lost” cities of gold, a northwest passage to India, and an American Arcadia on the Pacific Slope were reconciled with geographic reality.

Territorial Ambitions contains approximately fifty maps from The Society’s collection that have never before been shown publicly. The exhibition features such major works as Didier-Robert De Vaugondy’s 1772 Carte de Californie, La Perouse’s journal of 1785-88, and John Frémont and Charles Preuss’ 1842 Map of Oregon and Upper California. There are mining maps by Edward Ord and William Jackson and The Official Map of the City of San Francisco by William M. Eddy. The exhibition also includes railroad maps, topographical maps, bird’s eye views, nautical maps and coastal surveys. All of these maps were instrumental in helping to determine the economic and political future of the American West.


The Society of California Pioneers
300 Fourth Street at Folsom
San Francisco, CA 94107

415-957-1859
info@californiapioneers.org
www.californiapioneers.org

Exhibition Dates: October 31, 2003 - May 28, 2004
Museum Hours: Weds – Friday, and the 1st Saturday of each Month 10am– 4pm
General Admission $3; Students & Seniors $1


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